Sunday, July 26, 2009

28th Annual McMahan Family Reunion



Fifteen people attended the 28th Annual McMahan Family Reunion on Sunday, July 19, 2009, at the Goodsprings Community Center near Etowah, TN. (Two folks arrived after above photo was taken.) Those present were descendents of Dawson Armstrong McMahan, Lincoln Lafayette McMahan, and Anna Caroline McMahan. No descendents attended this year from William Cas Walker McMahan, Henry Clay McMahan, or Mary Calistie McMahan.

The food was delicious -- those McMahans know how to cook!

We missed several folks who were unable to attend this year for various reasons. Some had unavoidable circumstances, i.e., in the hospital or nursing home, health issues, or have just reached an age that they no longer travel long distances. We missed them and hope they will be able to attend next July.

Small recognition awards were given to the following:

Oldest: Dave McMahan, age 89
Youngest: Jeremy Keen, age 34 (son of Sandra McMahan Keen)
Traveled the Longest Distance: Trammel and Irene McMahan (~61 miles from Townsend, TN)
Traveled the Shortest Distance: Max and Grace Trew (~6 miles from Riceville)

A decision was made to meet in a restaurant next year, either Athens or Cleveland, rather than having a pot-luck dinner. Individuals would pay for their food, possibly a buffet, then we would dine together in a private banquet room and visit. Possible locations included Western Sizzlin Steakhouse, Shoney's, Holiday Inn, etc. July seems to be the best month, but we may meet on a Saturday afternoon rather than Sunday. Details will be included in a future mailing.

No collection was taken this year, and $57.10 remains in the budget.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Double Springs Cemetery

The grounds of the Double Springs Cemetery are well taken care of and mowed regularly. Small arrangements of silk flowers were placed on the grave sites of Dawson and Elizabeth McMahan, Aunt Mattie, Uncle Pete, Aunt Lucy, and Great-Uncle Dave McMahan during the month of May 2009.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

McMahan Family Reunion History

The 2009 McMahan Family Reunion is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the Goodsprings Community Center located just outside Etowah, Tennessee, for descendents of the following:

Andrew Jackson McMahan (1815-1882) and Maacha Caroline Walker (1826-1895)
Dawson Armstrong McMahan (1872-1941) and spouse Naomi Elizabeth Crittenden (1881-1962)
William Cas Walker McMahan and spouse Florence Cordelia Eaton
Anna Caroline McMahan and spouse James F. Burris
Henry Clay McMahan and spouse Mary M. Williams
Lincoln Lafayette McMahan and spouse Alice Lorah Buckner
Mary Calistie McMahan and spouse John Robert Henderson

The first McMahan Family Reunion was held in October 1982 (we think on the first Saturday of the month). It may interest some to know how the reunion began. Vicki McMahan was visiting her first cousin, Joy McMahan Goff, in Texas. Joy shared with her about the fun the "older" cousins had at their Grandad's place and how BettyLou kept them entertained for hours with her stories. Vicki and Joy decided that it would be great to have a "cousins reunion." When Vicki returned back to Tennessee, she talked to her Aunt Louie (Louie McMahan Trew) about it. Louie took the ball and made it a McMahan reunion, doing a great job organizing it through 1995.

Charles Dave McMahan took it over during 1996-2000, with the help of Joy McMahan Goff and Phylis McMahan Mason Pinn. Betty Lou Munger Birko took over the reunion arrangements in 2001 and coordinated the event for eight years.

For the first 23 years, the reunion was held at Knox Park in Athens, TN. Depending on the time of year, family members endured rain, heat, cold, flies, and wasps! (There was one occasion where it was held indoor at the Holiday Inn Express near Sweetwater, TN.) On July 17, 2005, the reunion was moved indoors to the Goodsprings Community Center and has been held there ever since. The center is air conditioned with a full kitchen and bathrooms.

About 30 members attended the 2008 McMahan Family Reunion, up from 2007 when only about 18 members came. We hope to see a larger number at the 2009 Reunion.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

McMahan Family Reunion

The 2009 McMahan Reunion has been scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the Goodsprings Community Center located just outside Etowah, Tennessee.

Please mark this date on your new 2009 calendar and make plans to attend this event. Also, please notify your other family members of this date.

If you have any questions about the reunion or would like to be on distribution for reunion notifications, please send an e-mail to keensm07@yahoo.com.

Update on McMahan Family

On May 26, 2008, Lucy McMahan Hill passed away. She was preceded in death by her sisters Daisy, Louie, and Mattie; and brothers Raymond (Pete) and Jack. Dave McMahan, the last of Dawson and Elizabeth McMahan's seven children, is just a couple months away from his 89th birthday.

For those of you who haven't heard, Dave had a total hip arthroscopy (hip joint replacement) on November 13, 2008, at Woods Memorial Hospital. He has been going through a rehab program at the McMinn Memorial Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Etowah, TN (Room 34).

His recovery has been a little slow, but his appetite is good and his mind is as alert as ever.